I remember vividly when God spoke to me through 1 Peter 5:6 and how it gave me perspective then and even now. “Humble yourselves therefore under the might hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, because He cares about you.”
Things didn’t seem to be going the way I thought they should be. This verse jumped out at me and reminded me that my attitude needed to change and that God was working in the circumstances and in my life. Though this epiphany occurred several decades ago it still shapes me as I walk through life with its twists and turns, trying to face forward and upward. This week many of us are studying this passage as we explore the truths of the Bible for our lives.

Here are a few nuggets:

We choose to be humble. In the midst of adverse circumstances we still have to choose our response. Choosing humility checks your ego at the door resulting in your reliance upon God.

God’s hand is mighty. Often we want to take matters in our own hands because we think we know what is best. Humility reminds us that God is working often on our behalf and we need to stand down.

Let God exalt you. Self aggrandizement will soon fade away, but when God is working in your life, He is ultimately exalted and you get to be part of it.

God wants to know your concerns. When we cast our cares on Him, we give Christ control or our attitudes and actions. We release our concerns and He carries our burdens.

Live this out! Humbling ourselves and trusting God is something we must do every day. This practice creates a true dependence on Him and not ourselves.

It is a challenge to live in humility not thinking more of ourselves than we ought. We are selfish but when we embrace this principle we empower God to work abundantly in our lives shaping us in such a way that we can see the needs of others (instead of focused on self) and connect them with the Living Lord.